As you approach East Rochester, itís easy to see the welcoming contemporary black awning that hangs over the door of David and Brenda Romillyís restaurant, which recently celebrated its five-year anniversary.

Inside Bistro 135, a long and narrow space with lofty ceilings and seating along a large bar warmed by a fireplace, the dining areas are divided among three rooms, including one on the lower level with a fire going.

On the Tuesday night we visited, we started at the bar, taking advantage of the $5 martini special. Bistro 135ís creative cocktail menu has 10 interesting creations that vary with the seasons. We chose the sage ginger smash, with fresh aromatic sage leaves muddled with gin, ginger liqueur, simple syrup, lime juice and ginger beer. It was a mix sweet and fragrantly spicy from the ginger. An ample wine selection was also available.

After we moved to our table on the upper level, diners were quickly filling the restaurant on this unexpectedly busy weeknight. Our focus quickly turned to the menu, which was accurately branded as fusion for its predominantly European and Asian influence with a modern American twist.

We shared a few appetizers, starting with one of the most outstanding calamari preparations Iíve ever had ó the grilled calamari. It was incredibly tender and well balanced. Thick squid bodies were lightly coated in a dusting of panko before a brief char on the grill, lending a smoky flavor to the dish. The spiraled squid were completed with peppery arugula greens, briny olive oil and a large wedge of grilled lemon.

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The Manchurian cauliflower was an appreciated surprise. Out of the gate came big, bold tones from a glossy coating on tempura fried cauliflower florets. Strikingly sweet and spicy, they were finished with white and black sesame seeds. If we ate this dish with our eyes closed it could have passed as Chinese sesame chicken.

The burrata was a light and refreshing counterpart to the cauliflower. Stretched mozzarella encases tiny remnants of silky mozzarella and cream ó a texture comparable to ricotta. The globe of Italian cheese sat atop roasted cherry tomatoes and was served with sliced grilled bread. A sprinkling of flaked sea salt could have furthered the flavors, but we drizzled balsamic vinegar, already on the table for warm rolls, adding extra flavor.

For the main course we shared the indulgent pork osso bucco. Pork leg shanks are braised for eight hours, resulting in a fall-off-the-bone tender piece of meat. As if that wasnít comforting enough, chef William Burkle plated the pork atop creamy, cheesy gorgonzola risotto. Most of the risotto was still al dente, just as I like it, and the addition of an apple-ancho pork jus on the plate cut through the denseness. While true osso bucco has the luxurious supplement of succulent bone marrow, theirs did not.

On this evening we selected the apple dumpling from three desserts that were available. A whole apple was baked with sugar and spices in a purse of puff pastry, then drizzled with sweet caramel and creamy vanilla ice cream. The pastry exterior could have been a bit thinner and flakier.

Bistro 135ís service was very attentive. The only glitch was when our pork was presented while we were still finishing the first course. This is something we could have overlooked if the service were family-style, but we all fumbled to make room for the plates, interrupting the pleasure of the delicious appetizers.

Although we were here to enjoy the food, Bistro 135 is more than a restaurant. One of its signature attractions is its live music, which features many local talented musicians. The music started shortly after we sat down to dinner, making this an enjoyable night out.